Every purchase you make through these Amazon links supports DVD Verdict's reviewing efforts. Thank you!

All Rise...

Is Judge Victor Valdivia a beer-drinker and a hell-raiser? His lawyer has advised him to admit or deny nothing.

The Charge

That little ol' band from Texas.

The Case

This is the right way for an artist to reward loyal fans: compile two DVDs,
one containing a legendary classic performance and the other containing the best
from recent shows, add some spectacular sound mixes for maximum volume, and the
results are irresistible. Double Down Live is an absolutely spectacular
release and is far superior to ZZ Top's previous live DVD, the lackluster
Live in Texas. Ignore that one-this set is the real deal that
demonstrates ZZ Top's formidable abilities as a live act better than any other
concert recording they've ever done.

Disc One, called "Definitely Then…," was filmed at Essen,
Germany, on April 19, 1980. Here is the setlist:

It's the first disc that's the real meat of the set. Filmed for the German
TV show Rockpalast, this concert has been sought after by fans for years.
It was recorded when ZZ Top was at the peak of its formidable powers and touring
behind Degüello (1979), one of the band's definitive recordings. The
show is a perfect example of why ZZ Top was frequently lauded as one of the best
live acts of their era. Guitarist/singer Billy Gibbons shows off his impressive
skills as both rhythm and lead guitarist, hammering out thick slabs of rhythm
guitar but also cranking out some stunning solos. Drummer Frank Beard proves
that his simple yet swinging style helps ZZ Top's music punch harder than almost
any other blues-rock band outside of the Rolling Stones. The real revelation,
however, is singer/bassist Dusty Hill. Often neglected as just Gibbons' backing
musician, Hill proves his worth here. His lead vocals are as raw and gritty as
Gibbons, and his basslines provide the rock-solid bottom that ZZ Top's music
needs to work. The setlist is also excellent, including every song off of
Degüello (except the last one) and digging through the band's
catalog to include obscure gems like "Nasty Dogs & Funky Kings"
and "Hi-Fi Mama," which ZZ Top no longer performs live. The band even
premieres "Tube Snake Boogie," a song that would not appear on record
until one year later on the album El Loco (1981). The members are in high
energy, clearly drawing from the enthusiastic audience and playing with
unceasing power, until the show climaxes with the most ferocious version of
"Just Got Paid" that ZZ Top has probably ever played.

Disc two isn't as revelatory as the first one, but it does serve as a nice
complement. While ZZ Top in 2008 isn't quite the exceptional live act that ZZ
Top in 1980 was, the band does still have its moments and this disc does a much
better job of presenting them than Live in Texas did. For one thing, this
DVD has the advantage being able to pick and choose the best performances from
various concerts, rather than rely on one entire show as that DVD did. It also
has more freedom to pick songs that are not necessarily hits; instead of having
to include yet another version of "Legs" or "Rough Boy," the
disc provides performances of lesser-known fan favorites like "Blue Jean
Blues" and "I Need You Tonight." Time may have taken its toll on
Hill's voice and Gibbons' fingers-neither is as sharp as in years past-and the
band is less raw and spontaneous than it was in the 1980 concert. Still, even if
these performances are a little too polished and lacking in bite, they're still
enjoyable anyways, and the interludes of behind-the-scenes footage are nice
additions.

Technically, the set is a bit mixed. The 4:3 transfer on the 1980 concert
is, well, not great. Because it was shot on videotape, it's awfully grainy and
the red bleeds heavily into all the other colors. It's also frequently riddled
with dark horizontal bands that occur when the music gets too loud for the video
to handle. The 16:9 transfer on the second disc, on the other hand, looks
excellent considering it was also shot on standard (not HD) video, although it
should have been anamorphic. It's the sound mixes where this package excels.
Eagle Rock has always provided stellar sound mixes for its concert DVDs and this
one is no exception. Both the DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes for both discs are
phenomenal, stunningly loud but also perfectly balanced and separated. You'll
really feel like you're there, except without the drunken rednecks. There are no
extras.

Ultimately, this is by far ZZ Top's best DVD. It may not be as technically
pristine as Live in Texas, which was shot on DV for maximum slickness,
but the musical performances here, especially the 1980 concert, blow the earlier
release out of the water. Overlook the admittedly second-rate video
quality-after all, ZZ Top's raunchy guitar grooves sound their best in a
smoke-filled booze-soaked atmosphere, right? For both newcomers and longtime
fans, this is the ultimate ZZ Top concert recording.